With wide applications of technology related to a three-dimensional (3D) model, such as 3D printing technology and 3D scanning technology, it is a new challenge to protect intellectual property (such as a patent right, a copyright or a design patent) of the 3D model. In one aspect, it is easy for a 3D printer to reprint a pirated or counterfeit 3D entity according to an existing 3D model file. In the other aspect, even if there is no existing 3D model file, a shape of an existing 3D entity can still be acquired by the 3D scanning technology, and a 3D model file can be remodeled, and then a pirated or counterfeit 3D entity can also be formed by the 3D printer. In this case, it is difficult for an owner, a designer, a manufacturer and the like of the 3D model to protect intellectual property of the 3D model.
Existing intellectual property protection technology such as Digital Rights Management (DRM) is adopted to control the usage and distribution of digital contents. The DRM technology has been adopted to protect digital contents such as music, movies and electronic books (eBooks). DRM technology is primarily an access control technology, by means of particular software, a user is requested to enter authorization information to limit an access on a specific device. Alternatively, content is encrypted to limit an unauthorized access. The DRM technology may also be used to protect a distribution of the 3D model file. However, a behavior such as generating a pirated or counterfeit 3D entity with the 3D scanning technology cannot be prevented only by protecting the 3D model file.